Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 25 August 2019
This report is for the media and the general public.
Summary
- Compared with the previous reporting period, between the evenings of 23 and 24 August, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region.
- Between the evenings of 24 and 25 August, the Mission recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region, compared with the previous 24 hours.
- The SMM saw that the former forward positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and of the armed formations inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area continued to be dismantled.
- The Mission spotted a weapon in violation of the withdrawal line in government-controlled Avdiivka.
- The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station.
- The Mission monitored public gatherings on the occasion of National Flag Day and Ukrainian Independence Day in various cities.
- Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued, including at a checkpoint in non-government-controlled Verkhnoshyrokivske.*
Ceasefire violations[1]
In Donetsk region, between the evenings of 23 and 24 August, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including fewer explosions (12), compared with the previous reporting period (46 explosions). More than half of the ceasefire violations were recorded in areas between Pyshchevyk (government-controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol) and Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government-controlled, 29km north-east of Mariupol).
Between the evenings of 24 and 25 August, the Mission recorded more ceasefire violations, including more explosions (23), compared with the previous 24 hours. More than half of the ceasefire violations were again recorded in areas between Pyshchevyk and Verkhnoshyrokivske and at easterly directions of Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk).
In Luhansk region, between the evenings of 23 and 24 August, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations with a similar number of explosions (12), compared with the previous reporting period (15 explosions). Almost all ceasefire violations were recorded in areas south-east of Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk).
Between the evenings of 24 and 25 August, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including fewer explosions (one), compared with the previous 24 hours.
Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area
On 25 August, the SMM saw that the former forward positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces north of the broken section of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (15km north-east of Luhansk) and of the armed formations immediately south of the broken section of bridge, both inside the disengagement area, continued to be dismantled.
The Mission saw three members of the State Emergency Services of Ukraine with metal detectors inspecting sand and tyres south of the former forward position of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. It observed a crane loading tyres from the position’s walls and roof as well as onto a truck that later left the disengagement area. It also saw that sand from the former forward position was being loaded onto a truck which also left the area.[2]
The Mission saw at least five members of the armed formations removing sand-filled tyres as well wooden logs from their former forward position and throwing them under the bridge. Near the former forward position, the SMM saw at least four members of the armed formations wearing armbands with “JCCC” written on them.[3]
On the afternoon of 24 August, the Mission saw up to six members of the armed formations wearing armbands with “JCCC” written on them on the southern edge of the broken section of the bridge and near the checkpoint of the armed formations south of the bridge, as well as up to five members of the armed formations cutting vegetation on the eastern and western side of the bridge’s broken section.
Other disengagement areas[4]
On the night of 23-24 August, the SMM camera in Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) recorded ten projectiles in flight at an assessed range of 1-2km south-east assessed as outside the disengagement area but within its 5km periphery. On the following evening and night, the same camera recorded a projectile in flight at an assessed range of 2-3km east-south-east (assessed as inside the disengagement area) and an illumination flare at an assessed range of 1-2km east-south-east (assessed as outside the disengagement area).
On 24 and 25 August, positioned close to the disengagement area near Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), the Mission observed a calm situation.
Withdrawal of weapons
The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons in implementation of the Memorandum and the Package of Measures and its Addendum.
In violation of withdrawal lines
Government-controlled areas
24 August
The SMM saw a surface-to-air missile system (9K35 Strela-10) in Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk).
Beyond withdrawal lines but outside of designated storage sites
Government-controlled areas
24 August
An SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted ten tanks (type undetermined) near Zatyshne (64km south-west of Donetsk).
Indications of military presence in the security zone[5]
Government-controlled areas
22 August
An SMM mid-range UAV spotted an armoured combat vehicle (ACV) on the north-eastern edge of Zolote-4/Rodina (59km west of Luhansk) and a new trench about 40m long (not seen in imagery from 22 August 2019) on the settlement’s southern edge.
23 August
An SMM long-range UAV spotted:
- two ACVs near Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk);
- an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-1), an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) and an ACV near Novomykhailivka (28km south-west of Donetsk); and
- an ACV in Taramchuk (29km south-west of Donetsk).
24 August
The SMM saw:
- an IFV (BTR-4) in Avdiivka and
- an ACV near the entry-exit checkpoint of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Stanytsia Luhanska (outside the disengagement area).
Anti-tank mines south of the bridge in Shchastia and near Verkhnoshyrokivske
On 22 August, an SMM mini-UAV again spotted 36 anti-tank mines (TM-62) laid in three rows across road H-21 south of the bridge in Shchastia (government-controlled, 20km north of Luhansk), assessed as belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
On 24 August, the Mission saw for the first time an object, assessed as an anti-tank mine (TM-62M), in the ground south of the road from Verkhnoshyrokivske to Pyshchevyk, about 600m west of Verkhnoshyrokivske.
SMM facilitation of the operation of essential civilian infrastructure
On 24 and 25 August, the Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) and monitor the security situation around the pumping station near Vasylivka (non-government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk).
Public gatherings on occasion of National Flag Day and Ukrainian Independence Day
On 23 and 24 August, the SMM monitored peaceful gatherings on the occasion, respectively, of National Flag Day and Ukrainian Independence Day in Dnipro, Kropyvnytske (Kirovohrad region), Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Odessa, Chernivtsi and Lviv; the events gathered, on average, between 100 and 1,500 people (mixed gender and ages). In Kyiv, the SMM saw at least 25,000 people (mixed gender and ages) gathered at the Independence Square and Bohdana Khmelnytskoho Street.
*Restrictions of the SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate
The SMM’s monitoring and freedom of movement are restricted by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines, unexploded ordnance (UXO) and other impediments – which vary from day to day. The SMM’s mandate provides for safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. All signatories of the Package of Measures have agreed on the need for this safe and secure access, that restriction of the SMM’s freedom of movement constitutes a violation, and on the need for rapid response to these violations. They have also agreed that the JCCC should contribute to such response and co-ordinate mine clearance. Nonetheless, the armed formations in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions frequently deny the SMM access to areas adjacent to Ukraine’s border outside control of the Government (for example, see SMM Daily Report of 24 August 2019). The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remain restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April 2017 near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations.
Denial of access:
- On 24 August, at a checkpoint west of Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government-controlled, 29km north-east of Mariupol), a member of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage, citing “the SMM’s safety”.
Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:
- The sides continued to deny the SMM full access to disengagement areas near Zolote and Petrivske, as well as the ability to travel certain roads previously identified as important for effective monitoring by the Mission and for civilians’ movement, through failure to conduct comprehensive clearance of mines and UXO.
Delay:
- On 25 August, at a checkpoint west of Verkhnoshyrokivske, a member of the armed formations allowed the SMM passage only after 25 minutes of waiting.
Other impediments:
- On the night of 23-24 August, an SMM long range-UAV lost its GPS signal due to signal interference, assessed as caused by probable jamming, while flying over areas between Kostiantynivka (government-controlled, 60km north of Donetsk) and Stepanivka (government-controlled, 54km north of Donetsk). The same UAV also experienced dual GPS signal interference, assessed as caused by jamming, while flying over areas between Bohdanivka (government-controlled, 41km south-west of Donetsk) and Prokhorivka (government-controlled, 53km south of Donetsk).[6]
[1] For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. Between the evenings of 23 and 25 August, the SMM cameras in Berezove and Kriakivka were not operational.
[2] In the section on the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska of the SMM Daily Report of 24 August 2019, the fragment “On 24 August (outside of the reporting period), the SMM saw Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel removing sand-filled tyres from the walls and roof of their former forward position north of the broken section of bridge. The SMM also saw Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel using a crane to remove nine large concrete slabs from an area south of the former forward position” should have read “On 24 August (outside of the reporting period), the SMM saw workers removing sand-filled tyres from the walls and roof of their former forward position north of the broken section of bridge. The SMM also saw workers using a crane to remove nine large concrete slabs from an area south of the former forward position.”
[3] The Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) was established in September 2014 by Ukraine and the Russian Federation. Each posted a representative to jointly head the Centre and a staff of officers from the Ukrainian and Russian Federation Armed Forces to be co-located in defined sectors of Luhansk and Donetsk regions. In December 2017, Russian Federation Armed Forces officers withdrew from the JCCC and departed Ukraine.
[4] Disengagement is foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016.
[5] The hardware mentioned in this section is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.
[6] The interference could have originated from anywhere within the radius of several kilometres of the UAV’s position.